Pocketed hoop net

ABSTRACT

A pocketed crab and lobster hoop net comprising a larger outer upper ring, a smaller inner lower ring, and located inside the outer upper ring when the net is laid flat on the sea floor. An intermediate net is woven of mesh between the rings. The mesh conforms to the rings and forms a net having selvage woven around rings retaining the mesh to the ring. A first central net is woven inside the inner lower ring. A second central net is woven inside the inner lower ring parallels the first central net sharing a majority of common selvage. The cord defining a chord and forms an arc shaped pocket opening in cooperation with a first central net, the pocket definition cord having two opposite ends attached to two end points near the circumference of the inner lower ring. A bait pocket is formed between the slack of the second central net and first central net, the pocket capable of holding bait pleasing to crustaceans.

BACKGROUND

Recreational fishermen enjoy catching crabs, lobsters and othercrustaceans. Some Dungeness crab in the pacific can grow up to 12″ wideand may be caught for food. The strategy for trapping crabs is basicallythe same as the strategy for trapping any crustacean. Traditionally,fishermen have used ‘pots’ that are homemade wire cage traps. Pots mayhold a bait cage that holds the bait. Bait can range from chicken wingto fish heads. The smell of the bait lures the crab into the trap. Somecages are designed to retain crabs inside the cage. Other cages haveholes that allow smaller crabs to escape. When the crab is inside thecage, fishermen remove the cage from the water.

A crab bait cage is usually constructed of metal, and can be heavy. Baitcages are about 3″×6″×6″. On the other hand, the bait cage allows afisherman to conserve the bait and reuse the bait. Nets can also trapcrabs and other crustaceans.

The crab ring or hoop net is more delicate than a cage trap but can alsocatch shellfish, lobster and crabs. A hoop net is usually sold as a‘Crab Net’. Hoop nets have a small inner metal hoop in the centersupported by a nylon netting, or the like, which is secured to a largerouter metal hoop. The hoop net usually has a 32″ outer upper steel ringand 12″ inner lower ring. Mesh netting attaches the two hoops. Afisherman puts the net in the water and the net rests flat on the oceanbottom. When the trap rests on the ocean bottom, crabs congregate to thebait held in a bait cage at the center of the net. Periodically, the netis brought to the surface to see if it has caught any crabs. Fishermenattach rope and floats to the net so that they may leave and return tothe float at a later time.

A hoop net catches crabs when crabs enter the net and a fisherman pullsthe net out of the water while the crabs are inside the net. When afisherman pulls the net out of the water, the hoop net forms a basketwhere the outer ring envelopes the inner ring where the crabscongregate. A ¼′″ nylon cord or the like of about 50-100′ lengthattaches the outer hoop to a float that bobs at the surface. A hoop netis about twelve to fourteen inches deep to prevent escape duringretrieval. The bait cage is difficult to manage, and adds substantialweight and bulk to the net.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. one is a perspective view of a hoop net being retrieved.

FIG. two is a perspective view of a hoop net being deployed and restingon the ocean floor.

FIG. three is a close up view of the pocket in FIG. 1.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

The improved net comprises double concentric metal rings, a 32″ outerupper ring and a 12″ inner lower ring. The outer upper ring 110 isconnected to the smaller inner lower ring 160 by an intermediate net 120woven between the rings. The rings can be circular or oval. Circularrings are the best mode. The netting should be composed of polyethylene,or the like, netting material. The netting is connected to two ringsmade of stainless or galvanized steel. Optionally, a larger netcomprises a top ring of 36 inches in diameter while the bottom is 14inches in diameter. Optionally PVC coating can be applied to the ringsfor durability.

Mesh material for a net can be made by hand using a long cord andknotted together at uniform and regular intervals. It is commonly knownthat interweaving and knotting cords create mesh 102 in an arrangementof knotted fabric having evenly spaced, uniform small openings betweenthe cords. Here, weaving mesh 102 to the rings forms a net. Selvagecommonly refers to the edge of a fabric that is woven so that it willnot fray or ravel. In this case, selvage refers to the cord at the edgeof the net woven around the ring for the purpose of retaining the meshto the ring. The best mode utilizes at least double selvage so that thefailure of one selvage strand does not affect the integrity of theintermediate net. Therefore, the termination of the net at the selvage170 follows the circumference of the inside and outside ring.

The smaller inner lower ring 160 has a first central net woven withselvage enveloping the ring. The smaller inner lower ring has a secondcentral net woven with selvage enveloping most of the ring. The secondcentral net is parallel to the first central net and has a portion ofselvage 170 following the profile of and enveloping a pocket openingdefinition cord 166, the cord 166 defines a chord subtending an arc. Achord is a geometry term, which is a straight line segment having twoend points on the circumference of a circle. A chord passing through thecenter of a circle is a diameter. In the same circle or in equalcircles, equal chords subtend equal arcs and equal central angles. Here,the cord defining a chord forms a pocket opening in cooperation with afirst central net. The pocket definition cord has two opposite ends thatattach to two end points on or near the circumference of the inner lowerring.

The intermediate net 120, first central net and second central net mayshare common selvage. To deter slipping of the cord defining a chord ofthe lower ring, an optional circumferential cord follows thecircumference of the ring and knottedly connects to itself to allowselvage to be knotted or otherwise axially retained to thecircumferential cord. Cords at various intervals can retain theintermediate net 120, first central net and second central net at commonselvage attachment points.

A second central net and first central net are not pulled entirelytaught but have enough slack to form a bait pocket. The pocket can holdbait pleasing to crustaceans, such as a fish head or chicken wings. Thepocket opening definition cord may be semi elastic or pulled taught toprevent bait from falling out of the pocket.

Although it is possible for the pocket opening to face the ocean floor,it is also possible to have the pocket face upward. The benefit of thepocket opening facing the ocean floor is that crustaceans would have amore difficult time removing the bait from the pocket opening. Thebenefit of the pocket opening facing upward is that it allows a user tomore readily access the pocket. The smaller lower inner ring forming thebait pocket may be flipped over by a user desiring to invert theorientation of the pocket on the net. If bridle connections interfere, auser may untie a bridle connection and retie a bridle connection tochange the orientation of the pocket opening.

When the trap is deployed, both rings rest on the ocean floor. When thetrap is recovered, the outside upper ring rises first and draws theoutside net upward to form the walls of basket like profile. The lowerring enclosing an inside net forms the bottom portion of a basket likeprofile. Attached to the twelve to fourteen inch diameter bottom ring isthe bait pocket. The bait pocket, which is made up of double layernetting, is where bait 188 is retained to attract crab and lobster. Thebait pocket has mesh wide enough to allow crabs and lobsters to pick atthe bait 188.

The walls prevent the crabs or lobsters from escaping while the net isbeing pulled in. Preferably, the walls are about twenty inches high.When fully extended the net is twenty inches in depth, which preventscrab and lobster from escaping from the net when it is pulled to thesurface.

Three bridle arms 114 attach to a hundred feet of main rope at one endand the outside upper ring at the other end. The bridle arms attach atpoints on the outside upper ring of equal distance to each other at onehundred twenty degrees. The bridle arms 114 are knottedly attached toeach other at the bridle junction 109 or bridle arm connection point 109where the three bridles meet and attached to the main rope 106. The mainrope 106 is attached to the bridle arms 114 using a reverse braidedconnection to prevent slippage when the net is drawn back to thesurface.

Above the connection of the bridle arms and the rope is a bridle float108 that raises the bridle arms to ensure that the three bridle arms donot drift or become tangled when the net fully extends when placed inwater. Although the bridle float 108 can be placed at a pointintermediate to the bridle junction or bridle arm connection point wherethe three bridles meet, and the top of the main rope 106 at the surface,the best mode is to place the bridle float at a point immediately abovethe bridle junction 109. At the end of the one hundred feet of rope is asurface marker float 104 to mark the main rope location at the water'ssurface. The surface marker or markers can be outfitted with reflectivematerial or other light emitting well-known devices for ease oflocation.

The foregoing describes the preferred embodiments of the invention.Modifications may be made without departing from the spirit and scope ofthe invention as set forth in the following claims.

Call Out List of the Elements

-   100 Hoop Net-   102 Knotted Mesh-   104 Surface Marker Float-   106 Main Rope-   108 Bridle Float-   109 Bridle Junction-   110 Outer Upper Ring-   114 Bridle Arms-   120 Intermediate Net-   160 Inner Lower Ring-   162 First Central Net-   164 Second Central Net-   166 Pocket Opening Definition Cord-   168 Bait Pocket-   170 Selvage-   188 Bait

1. A crab and lobster hoop net comprising: a. an upper hoop; b. a lowerhoop below the upper hoop, wherein the upper hoop is connected to thelower hoop by; c. an intermediate net between the hoops, theintermediate net having selvage attaching to the hoops; d. a first netwoven across all of the lower hoop, and a second net woven across mostof the lower hoop; e. wherein the first net woven across all of thelower hoop shares a majority of common selvage with the second net wovenacross most of the lower hoop, wherein the first and second net form abait pocket in the lower hoop.
 2. The crab and lobster hoop net of claim1, wherein the upper hoop is circular and formed as a ring and the lowerhoop is circular and formed as a ring.
 3. The crab and lobster hoop netof claim 1, wherein the upper hoop is oval and the lower hoop is oval.4. The crab and lobster hoop net of claim 1, wherein a pocket definitioncord attached on the second net defines the bait pocket opening.
 5. Thecrab and lobster hoop net of claim 4, wherein the pocket definition cordis semi elastic.
 6. The crab and lobster hoop net of claim 4, whereinthe pocket definition cord can be pulled taught to retain bait.
 7. Acrab and lobster hoop net comprising: a. an upper hoop; b. a lower hoopbelow the upper hoop when the crab and lobster hoop net is being pulledin, wherein the upper hoop is connected to the lower hoop by anintermediate net between the hoops, the intermediate net having selvageattaching to the hoops; c. a first net enclosing all of the lower hoop,and a second net woven across the lower hoop above the first net,wherein between slack, the first and second net form a bait pocket inthe lower hoop, a bait pocket opening defined on the second net; d.wherein the first net woven across the lower ring shares common selvagewith the second net woven across the lower hoop.
 8. The crab and lobsterhoop net of claim 7, wherein the upper hoop is circular and formed as aring and the lower hoop is circular and formed as a ring.
 9. The craband lobster hoop net of claim 7, wherein the upper hoop is oval and thelower hoop is oval.
 10. The crab and lobster hoop net of claim 7,wherein a pocket definition cord attached on the second net defines thebait pocket opening.
 11. The crab and lobster hoop net of claim 10,wherein the pocket definition cord is semi elastic.
 12. The crab andlobster hoop net of claim 10, wherein the pocket definition cord can bepulled taught to retain bait.